{"product_id":"first-and-last-words","title":"First and Last Words","description":"Fred Chappell continues to astonish. In his new collection of verse, he matches the vitality and grace, the deep intelligence and keenly observant sensibility, that characterize such earlier works as \u003ci\u003eMidquest\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eSource.\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eFirst and Last Words\u003c\/i\u003e revives the traditional practice of supplying new prologue and epilogue poems to classic works of literature. The poems invite renewed acquaintance with familiar works and authors, \u003ci\u003eThe Georgics\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Dynasts,\u003c\/i\u003e Livy and Lucretius, Goethe and Tolstoy, \u003ci\u003eThe Wind in the Willows\u003c\/i\u003e, and are offered as a celebration of their enduring significance. In \"\"The Watchman,\"\" a prologue to the Orteseia, Chappell writes:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe watchman keeps his vigil on the roof\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Of the ruining house. This long year,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Stretched out on his belly like a hound,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He has awaited the semaphore\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Blaze, awaited proof\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Of the victory that shall pull down\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A proud and bitter family. In rain\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Or cold starshine, gripping the eave,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e He has searched the hard horizon for a sign.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStill other poems are appreciations of music or the visual arts, as in \"\"My Hand Placed on a Rubens Drawing\"\":\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe ages work toward mastery\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Of a single gesture. A torso's twist,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The revelation of a thigh,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e White stone corded in a fist: \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFragments that might still add up\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e To compose a figure of the perfected soul\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As it releases from the grip\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Of vision that burned to draw it whole.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAll of the poems in \u003ci\u003eFirst and Last Words \u003c\/i\u003eare marked by a thoughtful use of the voice and a careful attention to language. They confirm Fred Chappell's status as one of our very finest living poets.","brand":"Louisiana State University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55807328846168,"sku":"9780807114872","price":19.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0278\/1295\/4195\/files\/9780807114872_c368b281-bb90-442d-bd8d-daf97ab98475.jpg?v=1778679027","url":"https:\/\/agendabookshop.com\/products\/first-and-last-words","provider":"Agenda Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}